Album Review: Handwritten by Shawn Mendes

Photo from MTV

Words by: Nahson Wren

This is debut album of Shawn Mendes.  Shawn has quickly risen within pop music.  His debut single, "Life Of The Party", has been nostalgic and hopeful for me, all at once.  The album centers around the issues that he deals with, whether it be self-doubt, love, anxiety, or an array of other issues.  Putting that into his music brought a sense of vulnerability to the album that has been earned by his fans through trust.  He also puts out messages of inspiration for those with the same discontentment.
    
The album starts with the aforementioned "Life Of The Party".  it chronicles a story that of dispelling self-doubt.  Having confidence is difficult at times, so having encouraging words like that could make a world of difference.  He sings of how distraught from lost love in the next few songs.  Healing from heartbreak will take the "stitches" that he refers to in the second track.  He hopes to leave her with something to remember him by, so that she will "never be alone".  Although, it is like he hopes to receive the same from her.
    
Being a "kid in love" is like everything that he had hoped for.  His feelings come on quickly, as he meets someone, but doesn't "know [her] name".  That becomes "something big", which leads him to want to be in a relationship with "all the strings attached".  He hopes to also leave a good "aftertaste" in her mouth, so that they'll be together again.
    
The need for "air" causes him to try to escape from the letdowns from the relationship.  Upon afterthought, a "crazy" feeling causes him to realize that he could be causing the same despair to another.  He hopes to change that, in hopes to save their feelings, in a way that hoped that his would.  He offers inspirational words that had been brought upon by an inspiration in his life.  Keeping ones head up when things seem to become "a little too much" may be difficult, so staying optimistic and the help from others may be "what it takes" to get through it.
    
Although he hoped to "bring it back", he knows that he has to move on from the love that he had in the past.  His "imagination" causes relief from the loss of his hopes.  He knows his feelings, but whether they are shared is a mystery to him.  All the heartbreak is brought into a culmination of grief; "the weight" that keeps him from seeing their relationship continuing.

Favorite songs:

Life Of The Party - I was hooked from the first lesson.  Words of wisdom mixed with an array of encouragement fill it.  It's just like Shawn says, sometimes it just comes down to making your best mistake.  This song is an anthem.

A Little Too Much - Another song with words of encouragement.  Realizing that the best may be yet to come, sometimes becomes that extra motivation.

The Weight - His heart and hopes fell to the new depths that he explains here.  He is conflicted by the possibility of renewing a relationship, but the thought of another heartbreak proves to be too much.